Question for those juggling work and studying?

Focus888

When do you fit in your studying? Last year when i was studying the foundation level i think i did it with just the bare minimum of extra work at home. This year i feel like i need to increase my studying at home so i can keep up with the rest of the class. I try and do about 4-5hrs on a Sunday but am still not happy with how much work i am doing outside of class. When do you do your studying and how many extra hours of self study do you do?

It might be a silly question but i have only come back to studying after a long break so not sure how to tackle it. Thanks

Lou1234

Hi.

I'm a distance learner so all my studying is done at home.

I have a commute to work so I try and read my books on the tube! That realistically doesn't happen often though!

I get in from work at 7 and have dinner and chill out until 8. Then I study until about 9ish. I do find it hard as I'm often tired when I get in from work. Then I try and do a solid chunk of studying at the weekend.

If I want a change of scenery I take myself off to the library after work and get my studying done there.

My boss is studying at the moment and he prefers early mornings. He gets up really early and gets a few hours studying in before coming to work!

taskey

i too have done it all by distance learning, i find lunch hours and after tea are the best. when exams are looming, i cram as much into the weekends also, my family tend to come first throughout the year and luckily enough for me, they pull together when i am studying.

i am also very lucky in that my job is not tasking, so i leave my books open on my desk and just sit and read them there.

Tracy

AK002

I do 3 hours per evening Monday Wed & Thur. Tuesday i'm in college and i try and keep the weekends to myself.

Focus888

Thank you for all your responses so far. I was never good at studying but this time i really want to put in the extra effort because it is now important to me.

What should i do in the extra study time? Obviously do all homework and assignments that are given out but what else? is it enough to read through the text books, do tasks from workbook. Should i be making loads of notes while i read? I know this sounds really dumb but i just dont want to fail.

Rinske

You could consider making summaries of everything, so you can use them to revise just before the exams, or just of the parts you really have trouble with.

Try find out what works best for you. Making summaries is a lot of work, but if it helps you revise for your exams a lot easier and less stressful it might be worth it.

Once you went through the book, and have the understanding it's time for past exam papers or other tests which have all of it in it and at some point (not the first, once you feel confident) a lot of people suggesting doing a timed one to make sure you are fast enough.

Before that, it is pretty much following the classes, studying the textbook and doing as many assignments and exercises as possible, until you feel you understand the subject.

And written down like this, it sounds like a whole lot of work, but if it's a subject you find easy, it's quick, while on the more complicated subjects, you may need to spent a bit more time on it.

keane155

I've been going to college for two evenings a week. I use my lunch break to study and also a couple of hours a night when I don't have college on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Trying to do more at the weekend, last weekend I was just studying on and off and taking breaks whenever I got a bit bored, I think that worked quite well.

Focus888

If i stick to studying the whole day every Sunday, read textbooks during journey into work every morning for half an hour, study at lunch break and before work, and then commit to at least 1 maybe 2hr a night when i dont have class Mon, Wed, Fri, is this enough allocated study time?

Rinske

That is something only you can decide.

You need to work out what is enough time for you, without leaving you with the feeling all you do is work or study.

AK002

AK002 wrote: »

I do 3 hours per evening Monday Wed & Thur. Tuesday i'm in college and i try and keep the weekends to myself.

I should say this is for ACCA though, not AAT.

I didn't do much 'extra' studying for AAT until about 1-2 weeks before the exams.

BeccaLouJ9

I get home at 5.20pm and go to the gym until about 6.30. Then i go home cook me and my boyfriend dinner and watch a bit of Bones! Then it's time to study! I only seem to fit in a couple of hours every other night or so, and dont do any classes- all distance. This sounds like hardly anything now that i'm writing it, but thankfully i'm not rushed by my boss to complete the exams in a certain time frame and so can take my time making sure i know it all before doing the actual test!

Becca

steveJ

My workload is'nt too heavy at the moment so i get a chance to study during the day. We also have a gym at work so i use that lunchtime which gives me a chance to get home earlier after work, have some dinner then 2 hours of studying. If i get a chance (or am not hungover.lol) at the weekend i will have a go then aswell.

katie2008

Im doing technician, trying to get in 6 hours minimum a week, but its getting more harder, fact a baby on the way and still working 40hrs is bad enough

will be worth it though. hopefully!

oli

I found that the foundation year I did the homework from class and that was it, the same for intermediate year, but for technician (currently studying) I find I am putting some time in at weekends, really should put more time in though. Around exam times we will all cram alot more studying in :-)

Marga

i work 9-5.30 everyday. i do wake up at 6am to fit in two hours of study in the mornings when i know i am fresh....cant do anything when i get back home cause i am tired and some days i do workout and aerobics


my body tends to wake up quite early on saturdays probably cause it is used to from the week so i get up at about 7am go early to the market do the shopping and by 8.30 i am home already ready to tackle in about three hours of study. Have a break and go for an hours walk.

when i get back i have something to eat and do a bit of house hold duties/tasks until about 4pm when i sit down and do two more hours ....then saturday evening and sunday are just relaxing


i am quite lucky this year cause i still have 11 days worth of holidays left before the exams so i will be studying solid 4 - 6 hours a day those days

amyjayne27

Hi,

Good question!

To be honest I am really struggling at the moment, I am currently tackling unit 6 and finding it so hard! I am doing the intermediate level by distance learning so I have to try and be really motivated. I started off doing an hour a night, but lately I just do not want to do it!

I am sure you will into some routine that works for you.

Good luck with your studies!

steveJ

amyjayne27 wrote: »

Hi,

Good question!

To be honest I am really struggling at the moment, I am currently tackling unit 6 and finding it so hard! I am doing the intermediate level by distance learning so I have to try and be really motivated. I started off doing an hour a night, but lately I just do not want to do it!

I am sure you will into some routine that works for you.

Good luck with your studies!

How do you study ? Listening to music ? Tv in the background ? Sometimes i find having my ipod on will help me keep focused. Ive also noticed a couple days of not studying gives me a bit more push and interest in a unit.

Are you studying by the old standards ? Have to finish intermediate by next June ?

Marga

steveJ wrote: »

How do you study ? Listening to music ? Tv in the background ? Sometimes i find having my ipod on will help me keep focused. Ive also noticed a couple days of not studying gives me a bit more push and interest in a unit.

Are you studying by the old standards ? Have to finish intermediate by next June ?

Hi Steve i do the same ie use my ipod ...i have a playlist with selected music and that helps a lot ...specially when i am doing exercises further in the future i remember " oh yeah that variance (for example) i calculated while i was listening to this or that song!

I am finding hard to get up in the mornings as it is freezing cold so i have bought a little "breakfast table" that i can put in bed and study lol i am lazy i know

taskey

Marga i think that is a fab idea - why not study in comfort? at least it makes it more enjoyable lol

I have to finish buy next june as i am on the old standards. I have (fingers crossed) passed unit 7 yesterday - so only audit and cash management to do. hoping to both get them booked by xmas - but money is a bit tight and it seems an extravagence i am having to justify to myself - £150 for the both

amyjayne27

steveJ wrote: »

How do you study ? Listening to music ? Tv in the background ? Sometimes i find having my ipod on will help me keep focused. Ive also noticed a couple days of not studying gives me a bit more push and interest in a unit.

Are you studying by the old standards ? Have to finish intermediate by next June ?

Hi Steve,

I usually try and study in silence, I have tried with my ipod but I just end up enjoying the music and being totally distracted from the work! I haven't really been doing it at all to be honest so really need a kick up the backside!

I am studying by the old standards yes so I really need to get it done before June, which is looking ever more unlikely as I have 3 units to do and I am going away for a month in February. I know 3 units in 6-7 months sounds completely do-able, but with working full time and other commitments I am going to find this really hard. I started intermediate in April and have only done 2 units to date!
Crikey writing this out makes me feel very depressed indeed!

Amy

steveJ

Taskey, have you sat the computer exam for unit 31 (unit 7) ?? I sat the first part (Consolidating management accounts) last Monday and am now studying for the computer bit (Part2). Hopefully can sit that next week and then get on with part 3 - The month long report !!!!

Hey Amy, i wouldnt worry too much about finishing by next June as you can still carry on, but with a couple of extra tasks. If you can finish, then obviously thatll be great, saving money and time on the extra units, but remember its not the end of the world!

I treat week days as my learning and working days, and the weekend...well... Mostly drinking, clubbing and shopping !

Amy, have you tried maybe getting a different book on the subject ? Sometimes, when a problems explained in a different way it can make it so much clearer...maybe Frank Woods books ?

Marga, Love the bed table idea !!! I usually study while laying in bed with a cup of coffee and my i-pod. Its not the lazy way, its the comfortable way !!

taskey

steveJ wrote: »

Taskey, have you sat the computer exam for unit 31 (unit 7) ?? I sat the first part (Consolidating management accounts) last Monday and am now studying for the computer bit (Part2). Hopefully can sit that next week and then get on with part 3 - The month long report !!!!

i only did a normal simulation which lasted the normal time, i did it one go, and my tutor phoned me yesterday as i still got the tax return wrong.

Amy i was the same as you, up until june this year i had sat all the exams, but none of the sims, so i have bashed them out (so to speak) since june. i have never read my books in so much depth as this.

you will be fine and you will be able to cross over to the new standards if need be.

Tracy

Marga

steveJ wrote: »

Taskey, have you sat the computer exam for unit 31 (unit 7) ?? I sat the first part (Consolidating management accounts) last Monday and am now studying for the computer bit (Part2). Hopefully can sit that next week and then get on with part 3 - The month long report !!!!

Hey Amy, i wouldnt worry too much about finishing by next June as you can still carry on, but with a couple of extra tasks. If you can finish, then obviously thatll be great, saving money and time on the extra units, but remember its not the end of the world!

I treat week days as my learning and working days, and the weekend...well... Mostly drinking, clubbing and shopping !

Amy, have you tried maybe getting a different book on the subject ? Sometimes, when a problems explained in a different way it can make it so much clearer...maybe Frank Woods books ?

Marga, Love the bed table idea !!! I usually study while laying in bed with a cup of coffee and my i-pod. Its not the lazy way, its the comfortable way !!

http://www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/folding-bed-tray-82902

only £8 cant go wrong

treat week days as my learning and working days, and the weekend...well... Mostly drinking, clubbing and shopping !

i also like that idea ....specially the weekend part *LOL*